StogieNinja
Derek | BoM June 2014
Por Larranaga Picadores (2014)
Gifted for review by @ChefBoyRG
Begins with a light toasted natural tobacco note. There's some oak, as well as some light cinnamon, and a bit of caramel. A bit of white pepper on the tongue and retrohale. It's a little harsh, but not bad. I don't know if that's because I had it in my NC humidor at 65% (higher than I like my CCs) or if it's just young, but it's probably a combination of both
The second third gives more of that caramel sweetness and nuttiness, reminding a lot of the toasted candied almonds I've tried to make for salads: a little burnt. The white pepper remains, as does the oak and cinnamon. It's a little warmer now and a touch gentler, but still gets harsh if puffed too hard or if I draw too frequently. Slow, less frequent pulls seem to mitigate the harshness quite a bit. The good news is that as it's warmed, the baking spices and caramel increase, as the oak decreases. It's a nice shift.
It's final third is the best, as it's the warmest, and the burnt caramel is most prevalent here. No major flavor changes, still light white pepper, toasted nuts, and the baking spices have really amped up nicely.
Overall, it wasn't terribly complex, but that's ok because the core is good. It started out a little flat, but as it burned, it got better throughout. I think the cigar is a bit young yet, and it's noticeably bolder than what I'm used to from the marca. I'm guessing with some more age, this could develop into something really nice. Age has always vasty improved the PLs I've enjoyed in the past and I'm betting this is no exception. I'm very interested in laying a fiver down for a couple years to see what happens.
Thanks again to @ChefBoyRG for the cigar!
Gifted for review by @ChefBoyRG
Begins with a light toasted natural tobacco note. There's some oak, as well as some light cinnamon, and a bit of caramel. A bit of white pepper on the tongue and retrohale. It's a little harsh, but not bad. I don't know if that's because I had it in my NC humidor at 65% (higher than I like my CCs) or if it's just young, but it's probably a combination of both
The second third gives more of that caramel sweetness and nuttiness, reminding a lot of the toasted candied almonds I've tried to make for salads: a little burnt. The white pepper remains, as does the oak and cinnamon. It's a little warmer now and a touch gentler, but still gets harsh if puffed too hard or if I draw too frequently. Slow, less frequent pulls seem to mitigate the harshness quite a bit. The good news is that as it's warmed, the baking spices and caramel increase, as the oak decreases. It's a nice shift.
It's final third is the best, as it's the warmest, and the burnt caramel is most prevalent here. No major flavor changes, still light white pepper, toasted nuts, and the baking spices have really amped up nicely.
Overall, it wasn't terribly complex, but that's ok because the core is good. It started out a little flat, but as it burned, it got better throughout. I think the cigar is a bit young yet, and it's noticeably bolder than what I'm used to from the marca. I'm guessing with some more age, this could develop into something really nice. Age has always vasty improved the PLs I've enjoyed in the past and I'm betting this is no exception. I'm very interested in laying a fiver down for a couple years to see what happens.
Thanks again to @ChefBoyRG for the cigar!
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